District



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`F. S. OSBORN 8v C. E. POSTER.

PILE B0X.

110,456,591. Patented Ju1y 28, 1891.

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F. S. OSBORN & C. E. FOSTER.

FILE BOX.

No. 456,591. Patented July 28', 1891.

Hummmnumnlml Hl Ill I WITNESSES INVENTORIS'! ff/fulwa J7 M M ./Ittorneym.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

FRANK S. OSBORN AND CHARLES E. FObTER, OF VASIIINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE FENTON llIE'lALIIIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF JAMESTtnVN, NEW YORK.

FILE-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 456,591, dated :July 28, 1891.`

Application filed April 18, 1891. Serial No. 389,493. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: arranged end to end,` so that when both are Beit known that we, FRANK S. OSBORN and inclosed in the case the rear file-box B and CHARLES E. FOSTER, citizens of the United the front {ile-box B will occupy the relative States, residing at Vtashington, in the Disposition shown in Fig. l.

5 trict of Columbia, have invented certain new If the file-boxes were unconnected, the re- 55 and useful Improvements in File-Boxes, of moval of the front file-box B would leave the which the following is a specification. rear file-box B in a position where it would Many storage rooms or vaults in which it be practically inaccessible, and for this reahas become necessary to store papers or files son we connect the two together, so that when ro to which reference must more or less frethe forward box is pulled out the rear box 6o quently be made are only partially available will slide forward with it. Preferably the for the purpose in consequence of their limconnection between the two boxes is a hinged ited height and consequent limited wall-surconnection, and means are adopted in the face. Eiforts have been made to remedy this form of some kind of a stop device to limit i5 difficulty where the floor area will permit the the normal forward movement of the rear 6 5 use of deep cases by increasing the length of box. Different hinged connections and difthe file-boxes; but this remedy is only a parferent stop devices may be employed. Thus tial one, as it is not practical to lengthen the in Figs. l and 2 the inner end of the forward said boxes beyond a limited extent without box and the forward end of the rear box are zo impairing their strength and unduly increasprovided with overlapping ears l 2, through 7o ing the Weight. Another remedy consists in which are passed connecting-pins 3, so that mounting additional cases upon the floor when the forward box has been drawn comaway from the walls; but this is expensive pletely out of the case it maybe turned down and often ilnpracticable in consequence of and hang from the front of the rear box, as

2 5 the presence of pilla-rs, radiators, lightopenshown at the lower part of Fig. l, and in this `75 ings, dac. In order to obviate these objeccase the rear box B is provided with a bail tions, we make use of wall-cases only, but in- 4, making,r contact with a front cross-iiange 5, crease the depth and provide each pigeonthat limits the forward movement of the rear hole with a double file-case consisting of two box, holding it in an inclined position, as

3o or more parts temporarily or permanently shown, without preventing it from being 8o hinged together or otherwise connected, 'as withdrawn from the pigeon-hole upon tilting fully set forth hereinafter, and as illustrated the forward end upward. By this means acin the accompanying drawings, in whichcess may be had to either or both boxes at Figure l is a sectional elevation of'part of the front of the case. Y 3 5 a case embodying our improvements. Figs. The file-boxes may be of any suitable char- 8 5 2, 8, and 4 are sectional elevations showing acter and material, and 'are preferably" promodifications or different ways of connecting vided with the usual adjustable clamps G. the file-boxes. Fig. 5 is a perspective view In the construction shown in Fig. 2 the poof two file-boxes detached. Fig. (5 is a View sition of the rear box is reversed, so that the 4o showing another form of'connection. Fig. 7 clamp end is foremost, to present the papers 9o shows boxes provided with corner connecin a more accessible position in some cases. tions. It is preferable in most cases to make use The case A is constructedv in any suitable of a slip'or detachable hinge connection bernanner and of any suitable material, so as to tween the two boxes, so that both may be 45 afford shelves to support the boxes or series drawn o ut simultaneously until the front box 95 of receptacles or pigeon-holes X of the reis out of the pigeon-hole, whenit can then be quired transverse area; but the case is of detached from the rear box and examined, such depth from front to rear that each shelf leaving the latter in the pigeon-hole, but in or pigeon-hole can receive two or more fileposition to be readily withdrawn, if necessary.

5o boxes of ordinary or suitable construction Any suitable form of slip connection maybe roo employed. Thus in Fig. 8 the two boxes are provided with hooks 7 7, having oppositelyinclined ends and shoulders that engage automatically when one box is pushed in against the other. In Fig. 5 the front box has a hook projection 8, that engages with a-loop or eye 9 upon the rear box. In Fig. 6 the front box has a pivoted pawl at each side, engaging with a side pin -10 of the rear box. In each case the engagement is automatic when the ends of the two boxes are brought together. Preferably the hook portion of the connection,

when there is but one rhookedportion, is uponn the front box, as this permits the front box to hang from the rear box when the latter is at the front portion of the pigeon-hole, or the front portion could be hooked to a bracket or other support l2 at the front edge of the bottom partition below said pigeon-hole.

By the construction above set forth we are enabled without any other alteration than increasing the depth of the wall-casings and providing the ordinary file-boxes with suitable connections to double, treble, or quadruple the available filing-surface upon the wall of a room that has sufficient floor-surface to permit the proper increase in the depth of the case, for although we have illustrated the tiles as consisting of two connected boxes three or more maybe connected in like manner, especially in filing papers to which only occasional reference is required.

While We have described and prefer a lhinged connection that permits the front filebox to swing downward, the connection may be suchV as to permit the front box to swing to one side, as shown in Fig. 7, in which the hinge-pintle is vertical, with the hinge at one corner of the box.

Without limiting ourselves to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, we claim- 1. A le-case provided with pigeon-holes or receptacles, with two or more file-boxes arranged end to endin each receptacle and connected together, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the case having pigeon-holes, and two or more tile-boxes arranged end to end in each pigeon-hole and hinged together, each provided with an independent clamp, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a case having pigeon-holes, of two or lnore file-boxes in each pigeon-hole, hinged together end to end, each provided with a clamp, the clamp end of the rear box being outward, substantially as Vset forth.

4. The combination, with a tile-case having pigeon-holes, of two or more tile-boxes in each pigeon-hole, arranged end to end, with connecting devices connecting the contiguous ends of the file-boxes detachably together,

substantially as set forth.

5. The combination,with a tile-case, of {ileboxes arranged one behind the other and hinged together, substantially as described.

(3. The combination, with a ease, of leboxes arranged one in front of the other, and connections between the said boxes, the connections on the forward boxes being in the form of'hoolrs, for the purpose set fort-h.

7. The combination of the ease having stops, and file-boxes connected end to end, the rear boxes with devices for making contact with said stops, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this speciication in the presence ot' two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK S. OSBORN. CHARLES E. FOSTER. Witnesses: C. S. DOMER, R. C. JoNEs. 

